Best Thermal Scope – Top 5 Rated Thermal Scopes For 2019

Hunting and long-range shooting are some of the activities many people enjoy indulging in. There are many aspects which should be ideal to be able to excel in the sport. People are constantly on the run to upgrade their gears to set themselves to be the best in the business. As these gears are quite expensive, a lot of thought has to be put into it before making the purchase. It can be a single miss purchase which can lead to the loss of hundreds of dollars. So, careful research is always necessary before any purchase.

Especially, when it comes to buying the best thermal scopes, you have to make sure the kind of features you are looking for and the budget you have for the purchase. The market has many brands and companies developing different varieties of thermal scopes delivering different features, making it extremely difficult to choose the one that is right for you. The ones that are genuine and the ones that are not the real deal cannot be figured out in the first look.

For this reason, we have taken up the job to research on thermal scopes to figure out the ones that are best for you to buy. We have also put in a lot of research to put forth a buying guide which will show you the aspects you should look into in case you are planning to purchase a thermal scope. By the time you finish reading this article, you will have a great idea on the kind of thermal scope which would be the best for you and also the features you should look for while making the purchase.

The ATN ThOR HD 640 pushes technology to the 21st century. At a billion cycles per second, it has distinct night vision capabilities with the use of a high-resolution sensor. It runs on an Obsidian Core which can crunch huge files with relative ease. The Obsidian Core is a highly specialized computer. You might find it harder to set up your smartphones than using ATN ThOR HD 640. The controls to ATN ThOR HD 640 can be accessed through your smartphone, which is a feature that makes the process a lot more easier.

This thermal scope does not trouble you with complex charts, calculators, or reticles. It is one of the easiest scopes which you can get your hands on. The ATN Obsidian Shooting Solution takes care of all the complex calculations. All you have to do once you have set up the device is to range in and enter the wind readings. The rest of the things will be taken care of by the Obsidian Core. From changing the incline angle, turning through the wind, adjust the distance, and deliver the perfect aim for a perfect shot.

The scope comes with Recoil Activated Video which records the video as the trigger is pulled. The smart rangefinder feature does all the work for you as you simply have to point on the target to get the necessary readings. The scope features amazing ergonomics and comes with an E-Barometer, Gyroscope, E-Compass, and Bluetooth and WI-Fi features too. It is definitely an all-in-one thermal scope. Click here to see the best price.

The Zeus 336 Thermal Scope is the perfect example of an ergonomic design which does not compromise on the features necessary for a good thermal scope. It is a balance between the two which makes for an ideal thermal scope. The scope uses microbolometer core which is used for most of the Tactical Riflescopes and works well for SWAT, border patrol officers, force protection, and special operations forces. This is because it delivers crystal clear image during the day and night, and also providing the necessary tools to successfully take a shot at targets.

No matter the type of atmosphere you are at, the scope cuts through fog, dust, haze, smoke, and other hindrances with ease to give you a clear look at the target. The scope does not emit any visible RF energy or visible light. This makes it easy to hide and not let the target know you are using a scope to mark them down. It is also one of the compact and lightweight scopes of its class. It has an Optical Magnification of 3.4x(PAL)/ 2.8x(NTSC), which is perfect for any thermal scopes. Having a pixel array format of 336X256, this scope gives a clear image to the user and makes it easier to take the shot.

The scope comes with external battery supply which makes sure you get extended operation time. The device maintains boresight by the use of electronic zoom reticle tracking. It has a digital zoom of 1X, 2X and 4X with color modes of Black hot, Rainbow, and White Hot, to name a few. The device has Optional Video Recorder/ Video output with onboard replay feature. It has shuttered eye guard to maintain light security and prevent backsplash of the face. It also comes with a 3-year limited warranty and 10 years warranty on the thermal core. Click here to see the best price.

ATN ThoR being featured on the list for the second time is a testament to their prowess at manufacturing thermal scopes. The 384 model does hold the brand’s name atop as it is one marvelous piece of gadget. To start with, it has the Smart Shooting Solution which always you to not worry about remembering charts or doing complex calculations. Instead, the device does it all for you. With just a swift of the scope and a few clicks, the scope will tell you the target’s range.

Powered by Obsidian II core, this thermal scope proves to be an excellent one to be used during the day or night. The powerful scope delivers clear and enhanced images for you to aim with ease. It is a very useful feature especially for hunters who hunt in the dark. Like the ATN ThOR HD 640, this device comes with a Recoil Activated Video (RAV) feature. It does not matter if you have forgotten to hit the record button. This feature will start recording as soon as the trigger is pulled and get you a perfect recording of the shot.

Some of the other amazing features offered by the scope are WI-FI, Smooth Zoom, Free Firmware Updates, Multiple Reticle Options, E-Compass, E-Barometer, and an ergonomic design. Click here to see the best price.

Pulsar Core RXQ30V Thermal Riflescope is a product which pushes the boundaries of innovations to detect heat signatures. It uses highly tinted green sapphire to help you identify targets even in the harshest of conditions of day or night through obstacles such as bushes, tall grass, and branches. Some of the scopes rely on tube based night vision, but this product does not need any external light to get clear images for you. The light exposure does not affect the scope.

It has a super fast video freeze function and does allow you to save parameters of zero for three rifles. Heat signature images of great quality are delivered up to a distance of 980 yards. When it is combined with Picture in Picture technology you can get a close-up view of the target and also see the field of view with ease. Regardless of the environment, you get a high-resolution display through the AMOLED display. You also have the option of viewing with white-hot or black-hot modes too.

Over that, it has one of the best user interface and ergonomic design which allows the proper use of the technology put into it. The display is frost resistant, with three types of calibration, and 13 different electronic reticles to choose from. Click here to see the best price.

The Trail XQ models feature some of the best functions when it comes to thermal scopes. The excellent images are the result of the 50Hz frame rate and the innovative design which holds all the technology together to be used with ease. The better frame rate allows drawing the heat from the components inside the device to give a superior quality image and better functionality. The Trail XQ features a 384×288 17µm thermal sensor with its XQ38 and XQ50 models.

The detection ranges of the models are between 1350m to 1800m. With its multiple zeroing profiles and 10 electronic reticles, you are overloaded with choices to get the best out of the scope. For hunters, the scope features some additional functions such as the Stadiametric rangefinder which allows target acquisition to be an easy process. It also has the function to stream footages live using your android device through Stream Vision App. Click here to see the best price.

Pros

50Hz frame rate

384×288 17µm thermal sensor

Detection range between 1350m to 1800m

Freeze function with one shot zeroing

The picture in picture function

Cons

As most of the scope in the list, the Pulsar Trail XQ is also expensive

Buying Guide – Things to look at before the purchase of a Thermal Scope

Resolution – The resolution defines the clarity of the image you see through the scope of a thermal scope. This makes it a very important aspect to keep a look on as a bad resolution would lead to pixilated images which would not help you with taking the aim. So, that you would not miss out on important elements, it is better to go for a scope with high resolution.

Zoom – This is closely related to the resolution of the scope. There is two types of zoom – optical and digital zoom. The optical zoom allows you to magnify the image without losing the resolution. But digital zoom enhances the image to zoom it. So, in the process, it may lose out on some of the resolutions and lower the image quality. The best option would be to choose a thermal scope which has both optical and digital zooming capabilities. This allows you to zoom it extensively while keeping the image quality of optical zooming.

Battery Life – Like any other device, the thermal scope also works on battery. Some of them function for 5 hours continuously, and other can function for more. Some use external disposable batteries, and there are others that use rechargeable.

Refresh Rate – The refresh rate plays an important part in making the images delivered by the thermal scope to be of great quality. Most of the thermal scope which is available in the market today comes under the category of 30Hz to 60Hz. The value represents the cycle per second the image is refreshed. With the increase in the number of refreshing, the image will appear more lifelike. So, it is better to have a thermal scope which has higher refresh rates to help it deliver quality images to you.

Functionalities – Other functions such as E-compass, E-barometer, different reticles and all adds up to make the scope more efficient. So if you can buy a scope with these added functions, it will be easier for you to use.

Budget and Requirements – Having a look at your budget and your requirements from the scope will help you eliminate those which does not fit the description. So, note down the budget and requirement before you sift through different models of thermal scopes.

Conclusion

A thermal scope plays an important part in helping you to aim your rifle better. So make sure to follow these guidelines and also check out the products mentioned in this article to get a better idea on which thermal scope to buy.